Awaiting Raiders: Comedy of time-management errors
Time is running out on the Los Angeles Chargers and their coach, Anthony Lynn. A wiseacre might say neither has even noticed.
At 4-9, the Chargers have long fallen out of postseason contention. The more pressing issue down south has been the team’s embarrassing clock management, which seems to occur on a weekly basis as the losses pile up.
Twice in the last three weeks, the Chargers’ trouble with time has shockingly prevented them from scoring twice — once at the end of a half, and once at the end of a game.
Even when the Chargers win they can’t seem to avoid the comedy of clock errors. Their 20-17 victory over the Falcons Sunday featured a cringe-worthy end- of-half sequence of plays that defied logic.
Los Angeles seemed primed to cut into Atlanta’s 17-10 lead while facing a third-and-1 at the Falcons’ 8 with just 22 seconds left in the half. Despite having no timeouts, Chargers offensive coordinator Shane Steichen called for a run, but Kalen Ballage was stopped short of the first down.
Suddenly it was fourth down and the clock was running down to 15 seconds, then 10 ... and still the Chargers still had no idea what to do.
Lynn, whose job security grows more perilous each week, tried sending the field goal unit on the field as time continued ticking away. Six Chargers special teams players ran onto the field, but some players on offense didn’t realize what was happening, and weren’t able to get off the field in time for the chip-shot field goal.
Video of the calamity showed at least 15 Chargers were on the field when the ball was snapped. L.A. was flagged for too many men on the field and Lynn was seen gesturing toward his offensive coordinator as the half ended.
It was a sad case of history repeating for the Chargers, who three weeks ago had an end- of-game gaffe cost them a chance to make things interesting against the Bills.
Trailing by 10 back then, Justin Herbert completed a Hail Mary pass to the 3-yard line with 45 seconds left as the clock ran. The Chargers, with no timeouts left, tried running the ball and gained just a yard. Two Herbert pass attempts later — including one resulting in a Buffalo penalty and first down — left the Chargers with just three seconds remaining and the ball at the 1.
On the final play, in a painful case of miscommunication, Herbert tried a quarterback sneak while his offensive linemen were in pass protection. Predictably, Herbert was stopped well short of the end zone.
The only time in the last three weeks the Chargers weren’t beaten by the clock was when the Patriots handed them their most lopsided loss in team history, 45- 0.
But even the pounding by the Patriots included headscratching special teams plays when the Chargers, who had just re-assigned their special teams coach and had Lynn helping out, twice had just 10 players on the field and once had 12. Making matters worse that day, the Chargers special teams gave up a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown and also had a blocked field goal try returned for a score.
The Chargers, to their credit, did show resiliency Sunday. Kicker Michael Badgley, who’s already missed 10 kicks this season, blasted a 43-yard field goal to beat the Falcons as time expired.
Lynn, one of the more likable coaches in the game, took a poke at himself after the game-winning kick.
“I think we had 11 guys on the field this time,” he joked.
Here’s a closer look at the Raiders’ prime time game against the Chargers: GAME ESSENTIALS » Raiders (7- 6) vs. Chargers (4-9) at Allegiant Stadium, Thursday at 5:20 p.m. on FOXTV. ODDS: Raiders -3.
Reasons for optimism
A BANGED-UP LINE » The struggles for right tackle Bryan Bulaga and right guard Trai Turner, the Chargers’ high-priced offensive line additions, continued Sunday when both left the game in the second half to be evaluated for concussions. Both were counted on to be anchors on the line but both have missed more than half the Chargers’ offensive snaps this season. When they have played, the results haven’t been as advertised when Bulaga signed a threeyear, $30 million contract and Turner arrived from Carolina with two years left on a four-year, $45 million deal. Still, Los Angeles’ pass protection suffered when Storm Norton replaced Bulaga and Cole Toner stepped in for Turner. The Raiders’ chances of pressuring Justin Herbert will increase should either Bulaga or Turner — or both — miss Thursday’s game.
EXPLOITABLE CORNERBACKS » Veteran corners Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. have had more than their share of issues this season. Quarterbacks have a 112.4 passer rating when targeting Hayward and a 103.3 rating against Harris. Their troubles popped up again against Atlanta. Hayward was no match for the Falcons’ Calvin Ridley, who had eight
receptions for 124 yards and a TD. Harris also surrendered a touchdown pass while tracking Ridley. Partly because of uneven performances from Hayward and Harris, the Chargers are ranked just 20th against the pass and have permitted 26 touchdown passes, tied for fifth most in the NFL.
Reasons for pessimism
KEENAN ALLEN QUANDARY » Like most every other team, the Raiders have had trouble figuring out how to slow down Chargers Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen, who grabbed nine passes for 103 yards and a score in the teams’ first meeting this season. The former Cal star is the most prolific pass catcher in the league — no receiver in NFL history has caught more passes in his first 100 games than Allen’s 623 receptions in 99 career games. Allen has one more than short-time Raider Antonio Brown, who had 622 catches through his first 100 games. Allen has 99 catches for 975 yards and eight touchdowns so far this season, but he may be a bit hobbled Thursday. Allen sat out the last couple minutes against the Falcons with a reported hamstring issue, but he hasn’t missed a game in four years. DUAL-THREAT RUNNING BACK » The Raiders didn’t have to face running back Austin Ekeler earlier this season, but they won’t be so fortunate Thursday. After missing eight weeks with a hamstring injury, Ekeler is starting to look more like the pesky running and passcatching threat he’s been the past two seasons. He had 146 yards from scrimmage against Atlanta in his best game since returning three weeks ago. The speedy Ekeler ran 15 times for 79 yards and caught nine passes for 67 yards. He figures to be a handful for the Raiders, and Jon Gruden knows it. “Ekeler is a guy that can catch you from anywhere on the field, in the slot, as a receiver, coming out of the backfield,” the Raiders coach said Monday.